Wednesday, September 14, 2011

You... Want this. Don't you?



So the time has finally come. Star Wars has come to blu ray. This will be, I believe the fourth time I've bought these movies. I don't think I ever owned way back original VHS tapes because I'd just borrow them from my cousin and we had taped Empire off HBO in like 1983. I had the enhanced re-releases from 1995 that do not include annoying changes like a cartoon-y dance number in Jabba's palace. Then like any good fan I got the Special Editions in 1997 after going to see them in the theater, the first two for the first time that way. Then of course I was thrilled when the DVD came out and got those. And now I am planning on hitting up Target on Friday morning to get the blu rays. To be fair, my mom probably bought the first two for me since I was a teenager, but still, that's a lot of versions of the movies to own!


I have been excited for this ever since it was announced. And for some reason it even has me interested in watching the prequels again. Yes, even Episode I. I only have to watch it the one time. I anxiously awaited learning what the special features would be and have been more and more excited as certain things are slowly revealed to me. An alternate kiss on the Falcon? Yes, please! Extended argument on Hoth? Definitely! The infamous sandstorm scene? Are you kidding me? There's some other stuff too that doesn't include Han and Leia, but I don't really care that much about those right now.


Then came the annoying additions of random changes I read about that just made no sense. Most notably that Vader yells, "Nooooooo!!!!!" when he picks up the Emperor and throws him over the railing to his death. Who thought that was a good idea? Did anyone watch that and think that Vader maybe should've expressed more emotion? His actions were pretty clear. And it only reminds me of when he yelled the same thing after he found out Padme died in Episode III. It was so corny that it really ruined what could've been a genuine emotional turning point.


They have also apparently made the Ewoks blink. Um, why? This change doesn't really make me angry in the sense of making things worse. It just seems totally useless. Did anyone ever look at the Ewoks in any prior viewings and think, "You know, these Ewok things would seem a lot more realistic if they ever blinked." NO! Nobody ever thought that, ever. It seems like a total waste of time, energy, and probably a lot of money. Wicket blinks now. Sure, now we might think Ewoks look like they actually exist.


Obi Wan also now makes a different noise to scare off the Sand People. Once again I ask, why? This is also not a change that makes me mad. In fact, if nobody told me there's a good chance I wouldn't have even noticed. So I ask, what was the point? So, have we now evolved to the point that we thought that noise didn't sound like a real krayt dragon? Does this have something to do with the prequels? When in ANH do they even mention krayt dragons and how do we know that was the noise he was imitating? I never heard of a krayt dragon until I had watched those movies for years. And to be honest, I'm pretty sure it was only recently that I realized that he was the one who made that noise.


Anyway, while these changes are kind of annoying just in the sense that I can't figure out who thought of them and why they think they make the slightest difference - it would be like deciding that Jabba's door should be just a little bigger.... oh wait, they did that, too! - they don't really bother me that much. Certainly not on the same level as Greedo shooting first or that stupid new song in ROTJ I already mentioned. Not the one at the end, I actually have gotten used to that change and don't mind that one so much anymore, either. But I just don't see why every time they come up with a new format it's like we're getting a completely different movie again.


There are five versions of these things now. Well, maybe six, I don't know if it was on laserdisc or if they did anything to it there. Original, picture enhanced, VHS special edition, DVD, and now blu ray. Which one is the real one, anyway?


Ok, ok, all that said, I did say I was excited, right? I do appreciate that they've gone to the trouble to give us some footage we've never seen before. I don't know about you, but a few of the things mentioned I never knew existed. Like extra footage of Han and Leia and crew breaking into the bunker. And the extended Hoth argument that some of you may have already seen online. Any opinions there? While I enjoyed having extra footage of Han and Leia, I decided it was definitely a good thing that they did not include those lines in the final cut. And I honestly can't wait to see the alternate version of the kiss on the Falcon.


So what will you all be doing Friday? I am pretty sure anyone in our European audience can already buy it, which seems unfair, but I'll let it slide since I only have to wait one more day basically. Like I said, I'm hitting up Target early because I'm pretty sure it's $79.99 there and I have a gift card I can use there and it opens probably the earliest of all possible stores I could buy it from on Friday. Then I will spend some time looking exclusively at the bonus features. It may take me weeks to even get around to watching the movies themselves. I'm really kind of annoyed that I actually have some plans this weekend and can't just spend all day every day exploring the new stuff. Oh, well, I have forever, right?


So, what do you all think of the releases? Let us know here how you feel about some of the changes, whether or not you've seen them. Aside from a few gripes, most the things I've heard are really, really positive, so can't wait!

25 comments:

  1. I would love to own the Blu-ray versions, especially because my laptop has a Blu-ray player, but I honestly don't have $80 right now.

    I want to see the extended Han&Leia scenes soooooo bad though. Why does Blu-ray have to be so expensive???? >:{

    BTW, that is one of the cutest (not in a weird way) picture of Carrie on set I've ever seen! Is she sitting in a shower? lol : P

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  2. Don't worry, knowing Star Wars fans, the clips will probably be on youtube by next week. I'm surprised and annoyed that they're not there already. You know, that is the only thing I like about Lucas. As long as you are not making any money off his stuff, he doesn't care if you put it on youtube or use it for your own amusement and put it online.

    It's ok, I was thinking how cute that picture was, too (Push put it up) In a whimsical, adorable sort of way.

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  3. I'm buying the blu-rays. They will be my 4th copy of the OT and only the 2nd copy of the prequels.

    I love that picture, too. I love any pic that has Carrie/Leia smiling, because she smiles so little in the movies...

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  4. Oh, at least this will be my first copy of the prequels. My brother and I still lived together when they came out and he bought them and kept them for himself. I do have a VHS of Episode One somewhere though. I'm pretty sure it was only watched once.

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  5. You're right Push, Leia doesn't smile much in the movies. That must be why I also love any picture of her smiling. Guess I never noticed that before. some fan I am.
    I think Han would appreciate a smile from Leia every now and then, it's pretty. Much nicer than her usual glare (though I do like the glare) she wears in most of episode v. ; D

    I really hope those clips make it to You Tube soon, because that's the only chance I have of ever seeing the new stuff. :'(

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  6. I'm so impatient I've been checking youtube everyday to see if anyone has uploaded anything. Only gotta rough it out one more day though.

    And yes, I'm taking a direct route to the store to pick up the set, and lucky me, it's actually a birthday present. Not that I was surprised at all, but I'll never understand why Mr. Lucas feels the urge to keep tweaking pointless things.

    This will be my third copy of the OT (4th of ESB...it's an extra lone VHS, hell yeah). 2nd of II & III, and the first time I've ever owned Episode I. Sheesh, my collection is all over the place. But anyway, I really am excited to watch all of them. And oh, those sweet, sweet deleted scenes.

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  7. I think we should all post whatever links we can find to the deleted scenes, Han/Leia or not (but especially those) on this post so everyone can see them. I don't have the money for the Blu Ray... or a Blu Ray player. And evidently I'm not the only one (ie Emma).

    Does anyone know what 'squider' is?...

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  8. I don't have a blu ray player either. and the one time I mentioned this topic my husband got all excited and thought this meant that not only was I advocating his spending of $80 on the box set, which I was, but also granting him permission to go buy a blu ray player and a 51" 3D Flat Screen TV. which was totally not my plan.

    And not that you asked, but no, my opinion on electronics purcahses has absolutely nothing to do with the very large credit card bill that -ahem - Santa got this week for his many purchases at the Lego store.

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  9. oh, so my point was, yes please, I think we should share links when we find them.

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  10. Oh, that is a real conundrum. Blu rays or Legos? I have found a youtube video of the deleted Tosche Station scene, but that's it. I'll watch it anyway, but you can imagine that I'm not nearly as excited about that as I would be about Han and Leia stuff. I hope those of you who can't get the blu rays yet or have nothing to play them on have friends who will invite you over :)

    This is driving me nuts. Again, you'd think I wasn't going to have this thing in the morning!

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  11. I may have to go to my WalMart at midnite just so I can beat Zyra to it! I won't be able to work tomorrow while she's emailing drool mails...

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  12. I wish I had a friend to invite me over. Ya know, I'd uh, be willing to travel. hehe : )

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  13. Heh heh. Well, I've been thinking about it all day when and where I'm going to pick these up. Dying to see the alternate kiss on the Falcon. Kind of pissed they're tweaking things again, but I'll get over it.

    Did find one clip on YouTube. The deleted part of the fight between Han and Leia on Hoth. Love Leia's reaction at the end.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rghOeiukL5w. Do a search on Star Wars blu ray and some things are popping up.

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  14. Maybe we should all mention where we're going to get them. I'm going to Target. Target opens at 8 as opposed to Walmart's 7, but same price and I have a Target gift card.

    Yes, I did see that clip, too. Definitely glad they kept it as is in the movie, as it was definitely the right choice. But I am never going to turn down extra footage.

    Also, most of what I come up with when I search for Star Wars blu ray is people who have taken video of themselves unboxing their blu rays. I was about to make fun of them before I remembered I write fan fiction and have this blog...

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  15. Oh, Zyra. That comment made me laugh! I think I have talked myself into the midnight release!

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  16. Yeah from most of the deleted scenes I've ever seen, usually there was a reason they were deleted. They just never seem to fit. I did pull the clip from YouTube though. =)

    And that was funny, Zyra.

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  17. I'm getting mine from Best Buy because that's where I put down my presale...and then there's the free t-shirt. I also have school early in the morning so going anywhere that early in the morning would be pointless anyway.

    I'm not sure if any of you really care, but I saw a Revenge of the Sith deleted scene that actually made me laugh. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvCf29AxiTc

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  18. All right, so, um, I can't even...

    I will just mention my buying experience which was me at a pretty empty Target wandering around and wondering why there were no Star Wars blu rays to be found in the blu ray section. That Target has been under a lot of construction lately and they keep moving stuff. I got worried and then remembered that they probably had a big display up front, which they did :) And I must not look like that much of a nerd because the check-out lady asked me if I wanted a gift receipt. I bought a little bit of food and some floss just so it might look like I wasn't just there for that ;)

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  19. Zyra, that's funny. I have mine on hold at Best Buy. Can't wait to go get it.

    Bought the Padawan Menace at lunch. My kids love it. It's pretty funny.

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  20. For those of you who don't have the blu ray and have not seen it yet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWyUWtlhuP8

    You're welcome :)

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  21. hmmm. I kinda like it. but maybe that's because I spent the better part of ten years after Empire came out reading the book, which this version is a bit closer to than the final cut. this was before I had the movie on VHS and could rewatch it, and I was too poor to go to the movies over and over. so I had the book memorized instead. :-)

    thanks, BTW. I might survive now.

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  22. Yes, this is definitely the book version. I actually prefer how it is in the movie, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy this. Quite the opposite! I just felt that the chose the right take for the characters to use in the film.

    And julz, I'm sure in a very short period of time almost anything you'd want to see will be uploaded on youtube. God bless the geekiness of Star Wars fans and the fact that many of us don't have much else better to do besides watching these for the thousandth time, checking out new special features, and uploading them online for other geeks to enjoy.

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  23. No, there are no changes to the laserdisc version...it's pre-SE, there were both pan-and-scan and letterbox versions...the letterbox LD collectors set (and the burned-to-DVD copies I made) are the only ones I ever watch anymore, even though I think I own it four times too (1990 VHS set, SE VHS set, LD set, the first DVD set). I've only seen TPM and AOTC in the theaters, and I had to leave ROTS early because I went before work and wasn't going to make it if I saw the last ten minutes...so I rented it once later, and that's IT for the prequels!

    I don't have a Blu-Ray player and can't afford one, so it's not much of an issue for me personally...but I agree, most of the changes are just WHY? Who cares if the Ewoks blink? Who cares, for that matter, if Han shoots first? Did anyone EVER complain about that, even the most conservative parent? I don't know...I'm just going to keep watching my laserdiscs...but anything to possibly bring in new fans is a good thing, right? ;)

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  24. I saw the clip on you tube of the Ewoks and I was like, seriously, did anyone besides George ever notice that the Ewoks didn't blink before?

    the thing is that because I am a perfectionist by nature myself I understand his compulsion to keep tinkering, because he CAN. it's kind of sad, actually, because he has so much money and resources at his disposal he can tinker all he wants and there's no one to say dude, it's OUT THERE, it is what it is, live with it.

    every time he gets a new toy (like CGI) to play with, he thinks, oh, if only I had this back when I did ANH. Any one else would just make a new movie with his new toy. George goes back and plays with his old ones. because he's George. And he CAN.

    ok, I'll shut up now and go watch some more videos on you tube. because they're there. and because I can.

    nope, I'm not obsessed. not me.

    :-)

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  25. Zyra, I agree that the take in the film leading up to the kiss is perfect and it was totally the right one to keep. Except that I've always felt cheated - the scene ends too soon. I love the ending of the alternate scene, where she kisses him back. I think that's a way better ending than the abrupt one in the film. The extended (book version) dialogue sounds too stilted to me in the cut scene though so if it it's all or nothing I definitely prefer the one in the film.

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